How Secure Are Artificial Intelligence Apps?

Different industries today are adopting Artificial Intelligence at rapid speed. Every sector, every process and every workflow is integrating with cognitive technologies to allow automation and enhance efficiency.

But, how far can we rely on them?

The intelligence embedded in the machines to perform cognitive tasks like problem-solving, learning and adapting is often associated with Artificial Intelligence. This helped to build what we called frameworks today. Applications, whether it is a mobile app or a web app, can be built with complete customization within minutes with AI automation.

Integrating Artificial Intelligence at every step, developing time can be reduced up to 95 percent. This relieved the developers from coding and build apps as a service. This is one level where AI has showcased its potential. However, the problem only begins when the app is launched and users their big step to use it.

In the name of personalization of app at an individual level, AI tools are analysing user-behavior rigorously limiting the privacy of users. Do you wonder how?

There are two-levels you must understand before you learn the “how”:

AI apps allow extensive personalization making it easier for a user and avoid the search process

What does it personalize? Everything! Yes, everything: from the menu to UI.

In order to derive most accurate results or for effective personalization, data becomes centric to artificial intelligence. This compiles the data; the tools collect the data from where the user clicks on the screen to his preferences in choosing a product. They acquire complete information of the user and employ machine learning algorithms to study the pattern. Eventually, achieve AI personalized app.

Thus, users’ every action is tracked which otherwise may be called “stalked”.

This is where the security and privacy issues have begun.

For instance, Google AI simply tracks everything on a smartphone: where the user goes, what he does as well as at what time an individual goes to office and comes back home. In order to enable smart suggestions, it gathers data about the user.

They are similar AI apps that are installed on the very same phone, which uses different details of an individual. A number of apps are installed right away and there are a few which seek permission to attain a few details.

It is one of the biggest challenges for AI to guard individual information. As long as, the information is used for the benefit of the user, it would make sense. Once, the information moves to a third party, it is no longer secure. Implementing AI in industries like Food, insurance and healthcare can take a toll on the user as well as on the organization. Futurists have already predicted the threat that AI would bring.

What can we do?

Robust security mechanism must be build to prevent data theft and misuse.

AI tools must not allow to data apart from the individual (including marketers)

Individuals must realise AI/data threat is not very far from reality

AI apps must take permission before they track individual activity

Security and privacy is an individual right. It shall not be invaded. Technology that cannot ensure security is a real risk.

Guest Author:Thomas Honey is a professional writer, writing articles for various blogs and news sites, as well as for ONGO Framework Blog. You can follow her on Google+.